Agenda and minutes

At the request of the Chairman, the Reverend Wendy Moore opened  the meeting with a prayer.

It was proposed by Councillor Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E. and seconded by Councillor S. R. Colella and

RESOLVED that Councillor C. R. Scurrell be elected Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Councillor C. R. Scurrell, having signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, and having been invested by Councillor Mrs. C. J. Spencer with the Chairman's Badge of Office, then took the Chair and thanked Members of the Council for electing him to the office of Chairman.

Councillor Mrs. C. J. Spencer, having been presented by Councillor C. R. Scurrell with a Past Chairman's Badge and Ribbon, then concluded her year of office. It was then proposed by the Chairman and

RESOLVED that the thanks of the Council be tendered to Councillor Mrs. C. J. Spencer for the services rendered to the Council and to the District during her term of office as Chairman of the Council.

It was proposed by Councillor R. Hollingworth and seconded by Councillor Mrs. R. L. Dent and

RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths be elected Vice-Chairman of the Council for the ensuing year.

Councillor Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths, having signed the Declaration of Acceptance of Office, and having been invested by Councillor C. R. Scurrell with the Vice-Chairman’s Badge of Office, thanked Members of the Council for appointing her to the office of Vice-Chairman.

It was proposed by Councillor G. N. Denaro and seconded by Councillor Mrs. M. A. Sherrey and

RESOLVED that Councillor R. Hollingworth be elected Leader of the Council for the ensuing year.

Councillor P. M. McDonald expressed the view that the Council should stop the convention of electing the Leader of the Opposition at the Annual Meeting and that the position should be held by the leader of the largest political group. The Monitoring Officer advised that it was a requirement of the Council’s Constitution and therefore the agenda item was accurate and correct.

It was proposed by Councillor C. J. K. Wilson and seconded by Councillor E. J. Murray that Councillor P. M. McDonald be elected Leader of the Opposition for the ensuing year.

It was proposed by Councillor S. R. Peters and seconded by Councillor L. J. Turner that Councillor Mrs. J. D. Luck be elected Leader of the Opposition for the ensuing year.

On the nominations having been put to the vote, the Chairman declared that Councillor Mrs. J. D. Luck had received the greater number of votes. 

RESOLVED that Councillor Mrs. J. D. Luck be elected Leader of the Opposition for the ensuing year.

(At this point all Members of the Labour Group left the meeting).

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Mrs. M. Bunker, R. J. Deeming and M. J. A. Webb.

(Members are reminded that they need to keep their register of interest forms up to date)

No declarations of interest were received.

(a)       The Chairman announced that the Reverend Wendy Moore would be leaving Bromsgrove in June 2009 and this may be the last meeting of the Council she would attend, having been the Council’s Chaplain for over seven years. On behalf of the Council he expressed thanks for her loyal service and best wishes for the future.

(a)       The Chairman informed Members that the Chairman’s Charities for the forthcoming year would be the British Heart Foundation, Midlands Air Ambulance and the Noah’s Ark Trust.

To consider the report of the Head of Legal, Equalities and Democratic Services

Having been proposed by Councillor R. D. Smith and seconded by Councillor P. J. Whittaker, it was

RESOLVED:

(a)    that for the ensuing Municipal Year, the Committees set out in the table in Appendix 1 to the report be appointed and that the representation of the different political groups on the Council on those Committees be as set out in that table until the next Annual Meeting of the Council, or until the next review of political representation under Section 15 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, whichever is the earlier;

(b)    that Members be appointed to the Committees in accordance with nominations to be made by Party Group Leaders or Co-ordinators.

To approve the extension of existing appointments to outside bodies pending consideration of a report on the outcome of an ongoing review of such appointments at the meeting of the full Council to be held in July 2009

Having been proposed by Councillor R. Hollingworth and seconded by Councillor G. N. Denaro it was

RESOLVED  that approval be given to the extension of existing appointments to outside bodies pending consideration of a report on the outcome of an ongoing review of such appointments at the meeting of the full Council to be held in July 2009.

The Leader of the Council expressed thanks to Councillor Mrs. J. M. L. A. Griffiths, former Deputy Leader, for her past efforts on the Cabinet and announced that the following Members would serve on the Cabinet for the ensuing Municipal Year:

Councillor G. N. Denaro                         Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Resources

Councillor M. J. A. Webb                       Portfolio Holder for Community and Customer Engagement

Councillor Mrs. M. A. Sherrey JP          Portfolio Holder for Young, Vulnerable and Older People

Councillor J. T. Duddy                            Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Revenue Generation including Sponsorship

Councillor Mrs. J. Dyer M.B.E.              Portfolio Holder for Planning (to be covered on a temporary basis by the Leader in the absence of Councillor Mrs. Dyer on medical grounds)

Councillor P. J. Whittaker                       Portfolio Holder for Housing, Environment and Climate Change

Councillor R. D. Smith                            Portfolio Holder for Youth, Sports, Recreation and Culture

Councillor Dr. D. W. P. Booth JP          Portfolio Holder for Street Scene

To receive, for information, a summary of Members’ attendances at Council and Committee meetings during 2008/09

A summary of Members’ attendances at Council and Committee meetings during 2008/09 was submitted for information.